Development, In vitro Evaluation and Method selection for Preparation of Mucoadhesive Microcapsule for Oral delivery of Famotidine

The present study concerns with the preparation, evaluation and selection of a suitable method for the preparation of famotidine incorporated microcapsules using carbopol-934 as rate controlling polymer. Microcapsules were prepared from various methods, namely modified ionic gelation method (F1), emulsification-internal gelation method (F2), emulsification gelation method (F3), extrusion method (F4), emulsification-ionic gelation method (F5), emulsionevaporation method (F6), ionotropic gelation method (F7), coacervation phase separation method (F8) and complex emulsion method (F9). The prepared microcapsules were evaluated for parameters such as percentage yield, particle size measurement, drug content estimation, drug entrapment efficiency, surface morphology study by scanning electron microscopy, sphericity determination, loose surface crystal study, percentage of moisture loss, in vitro drug release profile, in vitro drug release kinetic study, in-vitro mucoadhesion wash off test and accelerated stability studies. The famotidine microcapsules thus obtained were with good structure, satisfactory yield and high entrapment efficiency. Microcapsules exhibited slow release of famotidine over 9 hours with zero order release kinetic fashion. Among all the methods, ionotropic gelation method (F7) was most successful method in sustaining the release of famotidine in a controlled fashion from carbopol-934 microcapsules, which could be a novel trend for effective management of peptic ulcer. All data were verified statistically by employing one way ANOVA and found to be significant at 5% level of significance.